The Missouri Western baseball team (29-13, 22-10) surrendered a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth to drop the final game of a four game series at Truman State (14-26, 13-23) Sunday afternoon.
Western extended a one run lead by scoring two runs in the top of the ninth on a Nate Ramler home run. Jake Jones entered in the bottom of the ninth and walked the leadoff batter. The Bulldogs follwed with two straight singles before Pete Jurich drilled a three-run double that cleared the bases and tied the game. Paul Trenahile’s sacrifice fly to center brought in the winning run and earned a series split for Truman.
Ramler got the Griffons on the board in the first with an RBI double that scored Grant Fink from second base. Truman tied it up in the third on an RBI single from Devon Meyers. Western grabbed the lead again in the sixth on RBI singles from Shawn Egge, Michael Shulze and David Chew.
Oliver Kadey held the Bulldogs to one run on four hits through five innings, but Truman got to Kadey in the sixth. Jurich led off the inning with a home run to left field. Kadey retired the next batter, but then hit a batter and gave up a single. Chris Allen entered in relief and retired the first batter he faced.
The Bulldogs then took advantage of two Griffon miscues to tie the game at four apiece. A wild pitch allowed a runner to advance to third base, then score on a single to right field, and a throwing error allowed the tying run to score.
Ramler had three extra base hits and finieshed 3-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Spencer Shockley was 3-5 with two runs scored. Tony Loeffler went 2-3 and scored a run, while Bubba Dotson was 2-4 with one run scored. Kadey went 5 1/3 allowing seven hits and three earned runs, while striking out three. Allen went 2 2/3, allowing two hits and one run. Allen also struck out three. Jake Jones took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits .
Western returns home this weekend for the team’s final home series of the season. Southwest Baptist visits the Griffon Spring Sports Complex beginning on Friday with a doubleheader.
— MWSU Sports Information —